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Bushbranch Records/Surfdog Records

Album Overview

I Still Do is the twenty-third solo studio album by the English rock musician Eric Clapton. It was released on 20 May 2016 through the independent Bushbranch Records/Surfdog Records label. The album features a combination of new material written by Clapton as well as cover versions of classic songs, contemporary tunes and influences interpreted in his own style.

For the album, Clapton reunited with record producer Glyn Johns and had the album's artwork painted by Sir Peter Blake who also previously worked with Clapton. It follows up to Clapton's global hit album The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale released in summer of 2014, his compilation album Forever Man released in spring of 2015 and his also commercially successful concert film and live album Slowhand at 70 – Live at the Royal Albert Hall released in late 2015.

Background

Reunion with Johns and Blake

The album I Still Do reunites Clapton with veteran record producer Glyn Johns, whose previous production credits include such classic albums as Who's Next (The Who), Sticky Fingers (The Rolling Stones), Mad Dogs and Englishmen (Joe Cocker) and Desperado (The Eagles). Johns also worked as the audio engineer for landmark albums by Led Zeppelin including their self-titled début album. Johns also produced releases by the Steve Miller Band, Humble Pie, The Clash and Rita Coolidge. Clapton and Johns also worked together in the late 1970s on the multi-Platinum selling albums Slowhand (1977) and Backless (1978) – two releases which contained Clapton favourites such as "Cocaine", "Wonderful Tonight" as well as "Lay Down Sally". According to a press release, Clapton said: "This was a long and overdue opportunity to work with Glyn Johns again and also, incidentally, the 40th anniversary of Slowhand".

Blake previously designed multiple pages of artwork for Clapton's 1991 million-selling live album 24 Nights as well as a photo book, containing all of his drawings of Clapton, his band and the Royal Albert Hall in which the album was recorded from 1990 to 1991.

Appearance of George Harrison

A similar distinctive pseudonym entitled "L'Angelo Misterioso" was only used by the former Beatle George Harrison when he recorded anonymously a couple of decades ago with other, mostly prominent musicians. The first time Harrison used the nickname was on a recording with the British first-ever Rock supergroup Cream. The band and Harrison recorded the version of "Badge" which was later released as a single and on the band's Goodbye album in 1969. Clapton and Harrison stayed close friends and recorded several tunes together including "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" for The Beatles' White Album as well as songs on Harrison's 1987 release Cloud Nine. The pair even recorded a whole live album together entitled Live in Japan (1992). When the former Beatle died in 2001, Clapton organised the Concert for George the following year.

Numerous publications including Billboard magazine, NME, Uncut magazine, Sky News, The Daily Beast and Contact Music reported the false message. Because both the general and the music press reported the subject very quickly and belief that Harrison would be on the album spread around the world within two days, it especially affected the news reports in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, continental Europe and South America. Only the American CBS Local Media company and Guitar World reported with a careful speculation rather than absolute conviction.

On 20 February 2016 Eric Clapton himself announced on his official Facebook page that it is not true that George Harrison will be performing or singing on the new studio album. In his Facebook post, Clapton wrote: "There is no truth to the rumour that George Harrison plays or sings on the forthcoming album 'I Still Do'". However, Clapton deleted the post from his official page a day after he posted the comment on the then current situation. Clapton's official publicist had refused to confirm or deny whether Harrison was on the album, when Clapton's management was asked about the event on 18 February 2016. After Clapton denied any official statement, the media began to speculate whether it might be Dhani Harrison playing on the new release.

A spokesman for Eric Clapton told Examiner.com on 2 March 2016 that neither Clapton himself nor his management or Clapton's record companies will be revealing the actual identity of "Angelo Mysterioso". In a brief statement, the spokesman wrote: "We aren't going to be saying who it is. Now or ever [...]". Also, it was never officially approved or denied if Dhani Harrison appears on the release.

In the 13 April 2016 concert held by Clapton at the Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Ed Sheeran showed off to play with Clapton himself the songs "I Will Be There" and "Cypress Groove".

Release and Promotion

I Still Do was announced on 18 February 2016. The is album is available as a digital download, a gramophone record (two vinyl discs, each with 3 songs per side and played at 45RPM for better audio) and on compact disc. There is also a limited edition vacuum tube shaped USB and CD release in a denim box with bonus materials. The bonuses include two exclusive tracks "Lonesome" and "Freight Train" plus 45 minutes of video featuring intimate interviews, behind the scenes clips of recording sessions, live performances and more, and 10 behind the scenes polaroid photo prints. Clapton's independent Bushbranch and Surfdog Records labels distribute the album to worldwide territories.

Critical Reception

Jon M. Gilbertson, indicating in a review from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, opines, "'I Still Do' is not a dramatic statement, but it is sturdy enough to earn another alternate title: 'I'm Still Here.'"

Andy Gill of The Independent praised the album, stating:

Reuniting him with Slowhand/Backless producer Glyn Johns for the first time in four decades, I Still Do is Eric Clapton’s most assured album in ages, its understated poise and refinement reflecting the influence of his late compadre JJ Cale...